Chapter 16
Gavin
I didn’t intentionally eat Charlotte out in the back of my truck. I really was just looking to grab a few drinks, drown my frustrations, go home and pass the fuck out before continuing with the wedding planning.
Charlotte, her peacoat, and her thong weren’t part of my plan. My only plan that night was to decompress.
I also didn’t intentionally choose that color off the swatch board.
I practically closed my eyes and threw a mental dart, then committed to wherever it landed.
Her reaction couldn’t have been better. I felt a little bad that she hated it that much.
Holly actually liked it, and at the end of the day, it's Holly and Ben’s opinion that matters most. It was fun to ruffle Charlotte’s feathers though!
Still. I’m not a total jerk. So when we are set to meet Ben and Holly at a deli for lunch one afternoon, I try to behave myself. At least a little more than normal.
“You look nice today,” I tell Charlotte as she sits down next to me. We arrived around the same time, both of us before the bride and groom, five minutes early. I figured a compliment is a good way to test the waters and see how chilly they are today.
“What?” she asks. She sets her things down next to her chair and pulls the menu closer.
“I said you look nice,” I echo. “I like your dress.”
It’s another sweater dress. Its off-the-shoulder cut reveals her bite-able collarbones. Along with the leggings and knee-length heeled boots she is wearing, she looks amazing.
“What’s wrong with it?” she asks, and I guess she doesn’t believe me.
“Nothing, I said I like it,” I tell her. Obviously, the water is a bit chilly.
“Yes, but a compliment from you always has a part two, and it’s usually something contradictory,” she says as she crosses her legs.
The scent of her perfume reaches my nose.
It’s fresh and clean with a touch of citrus, and it smells delicious on her.
I breathe in deeply, letting it fill my nostrils.
“No sequel to this statement,” I reassure her. “I really like it.”
“Okay,” she says, though her tone implies she is less than convinced. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I say.
Ben and Holly arrive, full of smiles and energy. “Hey you two!” Holly beams, bending down to give us each a side hug.
“Sorry we’re late,” Ben says. “We were chatting with Josie about action shots.”
“Action shots?” Charlotte asks as she carefully unwraps her silverware. She places her napkin on her lap even though we haven’t even ordered drinks yet.
“Yes!” Holly says, situating herself in the chair across from Charlotte.
“So I was scrolling through social media and I found tons of wedding photos that are very unique. Fun ones, none of that everyone line up on either side of the bride and groom sort of lameness. I want everything, sorry Benny, we want everything to be wild and unforced and exciting. Don’t we? ”
“Yes, we do,” he smiles and his eyes flicker over to Charlotte. When they do, his smile falters a little. I glance over at her to see why, but Charlotte’s eyes just shift away and she looks down.
Interesting.
“Well, that sounds great,” I say, grabbing the menu as the waiter sets a carafe of water on the table and four glasses. “You know what else sounds great? Mimosas.”
“You read my mind,” Holly says.
“I’m fine with water,” Charlotte says, though she seems a little depressed by her own answer.
“You know,” I say, leaning towards her. “I know drinking on the job isn’t usually permitted, but I happen to know the boss on a personal level, and I don’t think they’re going to mind.”
“I know nothing,” Holly says with a giggle.
Charlotte doesn’t so much as crack a smile. She’s not being bitchy; it’s more like she’s upset. She is unreadable today, and I can’t figure out what is wrong.
“I’m fine, really,” she insists. “Water is just fine.”
“Well, I need a Bloody Mary,” Ben says.
“Uh oh,” I muse. “A Bloody Mary is the go-to drink for a hangover. Wild night?”
“You could say that,” he smirks. He looks at Charlotte for another moment before they both look away. What in the world is going on?
“I am saying nothing,” Holly says with a laugh that pretty much tells the whole table exactly what they were doing last night.
After we all order and the pitcher of mimosas and Ben’s Bloody Mary arrives, we dive back into all things wedding. Charlotte seems happy and relieved about that.
“So we have the photography down, obviously,” she says as she goes through a checklist on a shared spreadsheet. “Catering will be barbecue. I’ve looked up several barbecue companies that are willing to travel, and I found—”
“Oh, that’s already taken care of,” I say, cutting her off. It’s almost like a typewriter that hit a snag, frazzling the whole process.
“You what?” she asks, and I lean back with a nod, taking a sip of my bubbly orange juice.
“Yep. My friend Brett and his wife Madeline own Seoul Sizzle,” I say.
“Funny,” Charlotte says. “I didn’t see that one when I was searching…”
“Wait, isn’t that Korean barbecue?” Holly says.
“It is,” I say.
“Oh, I forgot about Brett,” Ben says, sitting up straight. “You’re going to love it!” he tells Holly, and she kisses him with a giggle.
Charlotte sucks in a sharp breath, refusing to look at anyone.
“Korean Barbecue. Not what I had in mind, but if the bride is happy…” she trails off, changing things around on her checklist. “Alright,” she says with another sigh.
“We have the color palette. Holly, did you choose the dresses for the bridesmaids?”
“So I actually thought I’d let them all just pick the one they want,” Holly answers as our food is set down in front of us.
Charlotte immediately takes a big bite of her sandwich, and I have to grin. I don’t know how she’s so thin; she always has a healthy appetite.
“That’s easy,” Charlotte says as she dabs her mouth with a napkin. “Are we doing long or short? Longer dresses are more popular for winter weddings, especially if we are going to be shooting photos in snow.”
“I don’t care. A mix of both, probably,” Holly says, popping a chip in her mouth.
“Both?” Charlotte stops.
“Mm-hmm,” Holly answers casually. “Long, short, medium. I don’t care.”
“So…mismatched,” Charlotte says.
“Sure?” Holly shrugs as she chews. “I really just want everyone to have a good time. This is a party more than anything. A celebration of love. I don’t want perfection; I want it to be genuine. Besides, at some point we are going to leave for the honeymoon, but I don’t want that to stop the party.”
“Of course,” I agree. “Your guests are welcome to stay until the next morning even if you two do hop a redeye that night.”
“Speaking of that,” Ben says, grinning at Holly with devilish eyes.
“Holly! Ben!” a voice calls from across the way, and they both stand up, waving at some friends in the distance.
“It’s Joe and Kirsten!” Holly says. “We’ll be right back.”
They leave, and Charlotte and I are alone. I’m kind of grateful. Charlotte isn’t exactly the life of the party, but right now she’s a little high-strung even for her.
“Is everything all right?” I ask.
“Of course,” she answers as she scrolls through her tablet. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
I’m getting a little tired of the smoke and mirrors and decide to pull the plug. I take her tablet and set it on the other side of the table.
“Because you’re planning the wedding of a lifetime and you look miserable about it,” I say.
“Excuse you! I’d thank you to keep your hands off my things,” she snaps. I don’t like pissing her off, but I think the only way to get anywhere with her is to get under her skin and force the feelings out.
“No need to thank me. I’m not going to stop interfering until you tell me why you’re in such a crabby mood,” I snap back.
“Crabby?”
“Yes. Crabby.”
“Maybe it’s because every time I try to do my job, you get in my way,” she says, reaching for her tablet.
She can’t reach it without touching me, and that seems like the last thing she wants to do right now.
Actually, touching me would probably bring a smile to her sour face, but it would also mean admitting I am right.
“In your way?” I ask. “How have I gotten in your way?”
“Oh, let me think,” she taps her finger to her chin sarcastically.
“You steamrolled the fine dining catering by suggesting the messiest food known to man. You suggested the ugliest color swatch on the board to the bride. And if I had to guess, you’re going to keep putting in your two cents where they aren’t welcome,” she huffs.
I sit up and lean in, my face only a couple of inches from hers. “I think you forget who is paying for this wedding. And whose resort it’s at,” I remind her.
“I think you forget who the bride hired to be her wedding planner,” she says.
Both of us are holding our chins high. Both of us could melt an ice cream cone with the heat in our glares. “You infuriate me,” she says.
“The feeling is mutual,” I tell her.
My eyes flash to her lips, and her eyes slide down to my mouth. For a moment, I think we might forget where we are, what we are doing here, and who we are with. Luckily, Ben and Holly wreck the moment before our lips meet.
“Well, you two seem to be in deep thought,” Holly says, and I sit back. My eyes find Ben’s. He looks a little uncertain, so I run my hand through my hair and play it off like everything is entirely normal.
“Just figuring out some arrangements for the music,” Charlotte says.
“Music?” Holly asks. “What did you come up with?”
Charlotte looks at me desperately, panic brimming in her blue eyes.
“A live band,” I say. Why the hell not?
“Live music?!” Holly shrieks. “Who did you find?”
“Yeah, who did you find?” Ben asks. “Bands around here are very hard to book.”
“Well, lucky for you, your old man knows a guy. And it’s a surprise,” I say, digging the hole deep enough to just camp for the night.
“Oh my God I can’t wait!” Holly exclaims. “Speaking of surprises, we have one for you.”
Lovely.
“What kind of surprise?” Charlotte asks with the same apprehension I’m feeling.
“We want you to plan our honeymoon,” she smiles, hooking her arm around Ben’s waist.
“The honeymoon?” Charlotte stutters.
“Yes,” Holly says. “So far, the two of you have done such an amazing job at coming up with the most unconventional and original ideas. We figured, why hire a travel agent when we have the two of you?”
“Uh, because they’re professionals?” I ask.
“They’d be better at planning a romantic getaway for the two of you than we would.” Charlotte adds.
“Exactly,” I nod. “I don’t know anything about romance. Do you?” I ask her.
“Not at all,” she answers.
“I can’t even remember the last time I did anything romantic,” I add.
“Me neither,” Charlotte says. “I don’t even watch romance movies.”
Holly just giggles. “You two are hilarious. But for real, we don’t trust anyone else. I’m sure the two of you will come up with the best honeymoon ever.”
Before we can say anything else, we have been hired as travel agents for the honeymoon of my son and his fiancée. Ben and Holly take off to meet up with friends; I pay the check, and Charlotte packs up her things.
“Well,” I say as I shove my credit card back in my pocket. “This oughta be fun.”
Charlotte snorts. “Clearly you and I have different ideas of the definition of fun.”
“Well, it’s not like they left us a choice,” I say. “We might as well make the best of it. You should try it sometime.”
Charlotte stands up straight. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, everything about that lunch was awkward. All your side comments, and what’s with you and Ben?” I ask.
“What do you mean? Nothing is with me and Ben. Why would you ask about me and Ben?” she rambles. My eyes narrow and I smirk.
“I just meant you two act like you’ve met before. Or…something,” I say.
“What kind of something?” she asks.
“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it,” I say. “It’s just some kind of tension.”
“There is no tension between me and your son,” she says defensively, and my eyes narrow further.
“Are you attracted to him?” I ask.
“What?” Charlotte blurts out, her voice about three octaves higher than before. “That’s crazy! He’s engaged. He’s your son, and he’s too much like you for me to be interested in him.”
I don’t know why I care what she thinks. I have no reason to. She was supposed to be a one-night stand, but for some reason, that last sentence stung.